US5986771A
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US
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Method for computing a control signal for combining digital images
Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures LLC
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Filing: 1997-09-19
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Granted: 1999-11-16
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Expires: 2017-09-19
Abstract
Abstract A method for determining a control signal for use in combining a first digital image that includes both a foreground region and a key color region having an associated key color with a second background digital image, both images including pixels having color values is disclosed. The method includes segmenting the first digital image into a foreground region and a key color region; and identifying transition region pixels in the first digital image that are in the vicinity of a boundary between the segmented foreground region and the segmented key color region. The method further includes computing a color difference signal between the color values of the first digital image and the key color for at least some pixels in the transition region; and computing a control signal for transition region pixels as a function of the color difference signal, where the control signal is to be used to combine the foreground region of the first digital image with the second background digital image.
Inventors
- 👤 Todd R. Henderson
- 👤 Kevin E. Spaulding
- 👤 Douglas W. Couwenhoven
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:00
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/56; H04N1/60; H04N1/62
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A method for determining a control signal for use in combining a first digital image that includes both a foreground region and a key color region having an associated key color with a second background digital image, both images including pixels having color values, comprising the steps of: a) segmenting the first digital image into a foreground region and a key color region; b) identifying transition region pixels in the first digital image that are in the vicinity of a spatial boundary between the segmented foreground region and the segmented key color region; c) computing a color difference signal between the color values of the first digital image and the key color for at least some pixels in the transition region; and d) computing a control signal for transition region pixels as a function of the color difference signal, where the control signal is to be used to combine the foreground region of the first digital image with the second background digital image.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
163 words
A method for determining a control signal for use in combining a first digital image that includes both a foreground region and a key color region having an associated key color with a second background digital image, both images including pixels having color values, comprising the steps of: a) segmenting the first digital image into a foreground region and a key color region; b) identifying transition region pixels in the first digital image that are in the vicinity of a spatial boundary between the segmented foreground region and the segmented key color region; c) computing a color difference signal between the color values of the first digital image and the key color for at least some pixels in the transition region; and d) computing a control signal for transition region pixels as a function of the color difference signal, where the control signal is to be used to combine the foreground region of the first digital image with the second background digital image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the first digital image is segmented by comparing the color values of pixels in the first digital image with the key color.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the key color is represented by a key color volume in a color space.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the first digital image is segmented by identifying pixels having color values that fall within the key color volume.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 3 wherein pixels having color values outside an enlarged key color volume are excluded from the transition region pixels.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the first digital image is segmented by computing a difference between the first digital image and a reference digital image.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step b) further includes: i) creating a mask image where the foreground region has a first value, and the key color region has a second value; ii) convolving the mask image with a convolution filter to determine a convolved mask image; and iii) identifying pixels having a convolved mask image value in a certain range as transition region pixels.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the color difference signal includes a hue difference signal and a chroma difference signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the hue difference signal is the difference between a hue value for a pixel in the transition region and a hue value for the key color.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the key color is represented by a key color volume in a color space and the hue difference signal is the difference between a hue value for a pixel in the transition region and a hue boundary for the key color volume.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the chroma difference signal is the difference between a chroma value for a pixel in the transition region and a chroma value of the key color.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the key color is represented by a key color volume in a color space and the chroma difference signal is the difference between a chroma value for a pixel in the transition region and a chroma boundary for the key color volume.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the control signal is given by k=1-[1-(1-k.sub.t).sup.α.sbsp.t (1-k.sub.r).sup.α.sbsp.r ].sup.α.sbsp.o where k t is the hue difference signal, k r is the chroma difference signal, and α t , α r , and α o are constants.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
183 words
A method for determining a control signal for use in combining a first digital image that includes both a foreground region and a key color region having an associated key color with a second background digital image, both images being comprised of pixels having color values, comprising the steps of: a) segmenting the first digital image into a foreground region and a key color region; b) identifying transition region pixels in the first digital image that are in the vicinity of a spatial boundary between the segmented foreground region and the segmented key color region; c) computing a color difference signal between the color values of the first digital image and the key color for at least some pixels in the transition region; d) computing a control signal for the transition region pixels as a function of the color difference signal, where the control signal is to be used to combine the foreground region of the first digital image with the second background digital image; and e) combining the first digital image with a second background digital image to produce the composite image.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
183 words
A method for determining a control signal for use in combining a first digital image that includes both a foreground region and a key color region having an associated key color with a second background digital image, both images being comprised of pixels having color values, comprising the steps of: a) segmenting the first digital image into a foreground region and a key color region; b) identifying transition region pixels in the first digital image that are in the vicinity of a spatial boundary between the segmented foreground region and the segmented key color region; c) computing a color difference signal between the color values of the first digital image and the key color for at least some pixels in the transition region; d) computing a control signal for the transition region pixels as a function of the color difference signal, where the control signal is to be used to combine the foreground region of the first digital image with the second background digital image; and e) combining the first digital image with a second background digital image to produce the composite image.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 14 wherein step e) includes performing a weighted average of the color values of the first digital image, and the color values of the second digital image, where the weighting values are determined from the control signal for pixels within the transition region.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 14 wherein step e) includes performing a weighted average of the color values of the first digital image, the color values of the second digital image, and the key color, where the weighting values are determined from the control signal for pixels within the transition region.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the first and second digital images are combined using the following equation: R=F+kS-kC where k is the control signal, F is the color value of a pixel in the first digital image, S is the color value for a corresponding pixel in the background digital image, C is the key color, and R is the color value of the combined image.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
174 words
A computer program product having a computer program stored therein for determining a control signal for use in combining a first digital image that includes both a foreground region and a key color region having an associated key color with a second background digital image, both images being comprised of pixels having color values, comprising the steps of a) segmenting the first digital image into a foreground region and a key color region; b) identifying transition region pixels in the first digital image that are in the vicinity of a spatial boundary between the segmented foreground region and the segmented key color region; c) computing a color difference signal between the color values of the first digital image and the key color for at least some pixels in the transition region; and d) computing a control signal for the transition region pixels as a function of the color difference signal, where the control signal is to be used to combine the foreground region of the first digital image with the second background digital image.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
174 words
A computer program product having a computer program stored therein for determining a control signal for use in combining a first digital image that includes both a foreground region and a key color region having an associated key color with a second background digital image, both images being comprised of pixels having color values, comprising the steps of a) segmenting the first digital image into a foreground region and a key color region; b) identifying transition region pixels in the first digital image that are in the vicinity of a spatial boundary between the segmented foreground region and the segmented key color region; c) computing a color difference signal between the color values of the first digital image and the key color for at least some pixels in the transition region; and d) computing a control signal for the transition region pixels as a function of the color difference signal, where the control signal is to be used to combine the foreground region of the first digital image with the second background digital image.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
191 words
A computer program product having a computer program stored therein for determining a control signal for use in combining a first digital image that includes both a foreground region and a key color region having an associated key color with a second background digital image, both images being comprised of pixels having color values, comprising the steps of: a) segmenting the first digital image into a foreground region and a key color region; b) identifying transition region pixels in the first digital image that are in the vicinity of a spatial boundary between the segmented foreground region and the segmented key color region; c) computing a color difference signal between the color values of the first digital image and the key color for at least some pixels in the transition region; d) computing a control signal for the transition region pixels as a function of the color difference signal, where the control signal is to be used to combine the foreground region of the first digital image with the second background digital image; and e) combining the first digital image with a second background digital image to produce the composite image.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
191 words
A computer program product having a computer program stored therein for determining a control signal for use in combining a first digital image that includes both a foreground region and a key color region having an associated key color with a second background digital image, both images being comprised of pixels having color values, comprising the steps of: a) segmenting the first digital image into a foreground region and a key color region; b) identifying transition region pixels in the first digital image that are in the vicinity of a spatial boundary between the segmented foreground region and the segmented key color region; c) computing a color difference signal between the color values of the first digital image and the key color for at least some pixels in the transition region; d) computing a control signal for the transition region pixels as a function of the color difference signal, where the control signal is to be used to combine the foreground region of the first digital image with the second background digital image; and e) combining the first digital image with a second background digital image to produce the composite image.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-11-15 | 2003-05-17 | 2003-11-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-11-15 | 2007-05-17 | 2007-11-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-11-15 | 2011-05-17 | 2011-11-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |